Vorster explains that many young black people see farming as a means of food security and sustenance, instead of as a lucrative and specialised entrepreneurial business opportunity.

We need to get that aspirational element into the black community... To see it as a career. Farming needs to be something that one aspires to be.

— Theo Vorster, economist and CEO of Galileo Capital

Tapping into the right talent in agriculture

Prudence Motseo is the HR manager for leading agricultural firm AFGRI and says the sector needs to focus on the skills transfer from traditional farmers to youth.

Motseo explains that young people have the innovative solutions to transform the sector and says there are various opportunities for a range of expertise - not just farmers.

Young people need to broaden their minds in not thinking of being a farm worker of a farm owner.

— Prudence Motseo, HR Systems and Admin Manager at AFGRI

There are many careers in the space that can be harnessed by young people. You can find strategists, IT technicians, business development managers who work in the background to make sure that farmers are successful.

— Prudence Motseo, HR Systems and Admin Manager at AFGRI

Is farming for old folk?

Meanwhile, AgriSA's Christo van Rheede says the aging demographic of farmers is a global phenomenon, but can be changed in the country.

He says that farming colleges are not doing students justice, but have the potential to produce the best young farmers in the world.

There's no excuse for us not to produce young farmers. We do have the right infrastructure. It's just a matter of good governance, management and the right curriculum.

— Christo van Rheede, Deputy Executive Director at Agri SA

Presenter Eusebius Mckaiser hosted a special live broadcast on the future of agriculture from GrainSA's Nampo Harvest Day 2017 with contributions from various callers.